Monument Materials, Finishes, and Techniques

There are three basic types of materials that are used to create monuments.

Granite is the most commonly used material and is available in numerous colors such as, but not limited to: traditional grays, blacks, a variety of reds, pinks, browns, greens, and near whites.

Marble has been used for centuries and is well known for its traditional beauty. White is the most popular color used in monuments and typically has various degrees of gray "veining" adding to its attractiveness.

Bronze is called the "eternal metal" and is used for flat markers, statuary, and as ornamentation in combination with granite and marble.

Styles

Monuments come in a wide variety of styles, shapes, and sizes. In some instances the name given to a particular style may vary by region or country.

Personalization

Modern technology now allows monuments to be shaped, quite literally, into any form you can envision. Techniques such as sandblasting, shape carving, laser and hand etching, now allow intricate scenes and portraits to be placed onto the stone.

Additions to Memorials

A wide variety of products are available to be added to a monument. Such items as vases, lighting, and photographs can be used in conjunction with a monument.

Diamond etching is the process of creating a picture with thousands of impact marks from a diamond-tipped chisel. This old-world technique creates a long-lasting picture that is actually engraved into stone.

A memorial can tell a person's life story in many ways: through the words carved into it, through its location, and through the form it takes. Custom carved memorials are beautiful and unique. They help to capture the story of a lifetime. This video shows brief snippets from the process of carving a custom monument.

It's difficult to imagine the incredible amount of work that goes into creating a memorial. This video shows brief scenes from several steps of the process.